Faces Family Fluff
by CollegeNA-Twins
Summary: Basic backstory information about the Faces family in regards to this College AU.
1. Rekindle

"Arthur Kirkland. Will you marry me?" Arthur stared wide-eyed at the well-dressed, blond kneeling before him. With a ring. In a crowded restaurant. On Valentine's day, of all fucking days. His breath caught in his throat as the sudden realization of this situation hit him. He glanced around, noticing dozens of eyes drawn to the proposal. Some showed signs of disgust, while most were nothing but smiles. A couple of women gave their dates longing sighs as the entire room awaited an answer.

Arthur's answer.

Arthur returned his attention to Francis. His best friend, the man he was in love with, who was beginning to look very nervous. A look which rarely appeared on the overconfident Frenchman's face. His smile began to falter, and his eyes quickly darted around the room before settling back on Arthur.

"Francis..." Arthur felt trembles running throughout every cell in his body. This must be a mistake. A joke. Francis couldn't possibly be proposing for real. Gilbert must have put him up to it. Arthur would kill Gilbert when he got the chance. Francis was beautiful, a talented artist, popular with the ladies and men. While Arthur had nothing going for him. True, he and Francis had been best friends since high school, and had shared the occasional fling or date, but how could this be real? Arthur gave Francis a questioning glare, "I'm dreaming."

Francis stared back at Arthur, neatly trimmed brows raised in what looked like surprise. "Dreaming? No, Arthur, you're not." Francis slowly rose to his feet. Closing the distance between them, Francis placed a hand on Arthur's arm. "I'm sorry, if you're not ready I understand-"

"What?" Arthur interrupted, this time his own messy brows shot up. "This isn't fake?"

"Fake? Of course not, Arthur... a-are you crying?"

Arthur didn't even notice the tears until Francis pointed them out. By then, it was too late to suppress and deny them. He swiftly used his sleeve to dry his eyes, before looking back at his worried friend. "And you've... I suppose you've thought this through, have you?"Arthur paused to rub his eyes with the other sleeve and sniffle, "You want me? Out of everyone in the whole world who would drop their trousers for you in a heartbeat? Me? Even with my boys?"

"Of course, Love." Francis brought a calm hand to Arthur's cheek, and used his thumb to wipe away a rogue tear. "I would like to adopt them too, if you'll do the same with my Michelle."

Arthur leaned into the hand with a trembling chuckle. "Alfred would love to be the older brother for once..." Arthur glanced back towards Francis, who was watching him with a loving grin.

"So. May I ask you again?" Francis teased, "or are you going to leave me, and the rest of the restaurant, in suspense?"

Arthur gasped, burying his face in his hands to hide from embarrassment. He nodded quickly, but couldn't see the smile Francis gave him.

"Arthur Kirkland. Will you marry me?"

Arthur glanced up from his hands, then wrapped his arms around Francis' waist, nuzzling into Francis' shoulder. "Yes, damnit." His answer was almost drowned out by the cheers and clapping coming from the other tables as they celebrated for the newly engaged couple.


	2. Heroes vs Villains

"I know you're afraid, but we can't hide in this closet forever." Francis cooed to his ten-year old step-son. The pair currently found themselves trapped in the home of their jackets, playing a game called 'Heroes vs Villains' in which they were the so-called Villains.

"I'm not afraid, Papa." The young boy squeaked. His strawberry blond hair was beginning to fall in his eyes. Francis quickly pulled his own hair tie out of his ponytail and handed it to his son. The boy took the hair tie, and smiled in thanks. "I wont lose to Alfred."

"Of course you wont, Mattie." Francis winked, placing a hand on his chest, "You have the lovely me on your side. Alfred and Arthur wont know what hit them." Matthew giggled at his papa as he pulled his shoulder-length hair back, missing a few strands.

"I'm ready, Papa."

Francis smiled at the child, then carefully cracked opened the closet door to inspect their surroundings. "No one in sight. We attack in three... two... one!"

Francis flung the door open, allowing Matthew to spring into action. The boy quickly ran through the living room and down the hall in the direction of Alfred's room, which is where the 'hero' base was located. Francis began to follow Matthew, only to make it a few steps before he was forced face-first onto the ground. Pain shot through his ribs as he was winded by the weight of another ten-year old on his back.

"Dad hurry! Go get Mattie! I got Papa!" Alfred's young voice barely registered with Francis as his lungs finally refilled with air.

"Sorry, Francis!" Francis' loose hair blocked most of his vision, but the sound of footsteps power-walking past him suggested Arthur was following Alfred's demands for once. "I'll scold him later!"

"DAD!" Alfred whined, "Heroes don't apologize to the bad guys for kicking their butts!" Francis began to move hair out of his face, making a mental note about Alfred's unusual amount of strength for a child his age. He then swiftly rolled over, sending Alfred tumbling off of his back.

"Now I have you!" Francis smirked, grabbing Alfred and holding him in a bear hug. Alfred shrieked and flailed, then giggled as he tried to escape Francis' grasp.

"COUNTER ATTACK!" Alfred squealed, all attempts to roll around quickly defeated. "DADDY HELP!"

"Oh come on, love. Arthur wont be able to help you with everything." Francis teased, lifting his head back to avoid a headbutt to the jaw from the wiggling child. "You can get out of this on your own. Just get creative." Alfred squealed and giggled more as he continued to try and escape.

"You have too much hair, Papa! It's trying to strangle me."

Francis chuckled, and briefly moved to brush his long hair out of Alfred's face. "That's my super power! My hair has a mind of its own, and it's out to get the hero!"

Alfred gasped, then took advantage of Francis' distraction to break free. "That was close! But the hero never fails!" The child declared triumphantly, then tackled Francis back to the ground with a playful shriek. They rolled on the floor for a few moments before Francis regained the upper hand.

"Alfred?" Arthur's voice stole their attention. Arthur stood a few feet away from them, with a flailing Matthew flung over his shoulder. "I really should have had you go after Matthew instead." Both boys protested.

"Alfred really could carry me like this! You doing it is embarrassing enough!" Matthew whined.

"No way, Dad! You and Papa would have just ran off to make kissy faces with each other!" Alfred stuck his tongue out at Arthur.

Francis laughed at Alfred's comment as Arthur's cheeks stained bright red. "What is that supposed to mean, Matthew? And NO we would NOT have, Alfred!" Alfred giggled at Arthur's frustration.

"Please, Arthur. You know we would have." Francis sat up and winked, causing Arthur's blush to darken. Francis used this moment of weakness to reach up and grab Matthew's ankle, pulling the boy out of Arthur's arms and into his own. "Be free, Matthew!"

Alfred gasped in surprise, "DAD! You let a villain escape!"

Arthur took a moment to prevent himself from falling forward at the sudden loss of weight on his shoulder. He glanced to where Matthew used to be, then back towards Francis, who now held both twins firmly in his arms. Francis' grin faltered as the corner of Arthur's lips twitched.

"Oh, I don't think so, Francis." Much the the surprise of everyone involved, Arthur launched himself at Francis, forcing all four of them into a tangled pile on the ground. Francis yelped in shock, the twins squeaked and laughed. The family wrestled with one another for a few minutes more, before calling a truce and collapsing in exhaustion. Francis found himself with Alfred sprawled face down over his right arm, and Arthur lying perpendicular to himself on the left with his head on Francis' chest.

Matthew sat up from his position somewhere around Arthur with a yawn. "Is it bed time?"

"Nooooo!" Alfred whined into the carpet.

"No, not yet." Arthur sighed. "Matthew, dear. Could you see what time it actually is? We have to pick up your sister at six." Matthew nodded, then turned to look at an old Grandfather clock that Arthur had inherited from a distant relative.

"Ehh... Umm... No? I... I can't, Daddy."

"Please, Mattie, I'm too tired for jokes." Arthur sighed and placed an arm over his eyes. "I know perfectly well that you know how to read a clock."

"Yeah but..." Matthew trailed off, and Francis noticed the boy send a nervous glance towards Arthur before squinting back at the clock. "I can't tell where the hands are."

"What?" Arthur suddenly sat up, accidentally yanking a bit of Francis' hair.

"Arthur! Cheveux! Ça fait mal!"

"What? Shoot, sorry." Arthur quickly untangled the bit of hair, "Where on Earth is your hair tie?"

"Matthew needed it."

"Oh, right." Arthur's attetion snapped back to his son, no longer paying attention to the minorly injured, and pouting Francis. "What do you mean you can't tell where the hands are?" By now, Alfred's curiosity was peaked, and he too was sitting up and staring at the clock.

"I can see it, Dad. Five twenty-nine." Alfred chirped. Matthew stared at Alfred with a slack jaw, then turned back to the clock.

"How?" He furrowed his brows as he squinted more, desperately attempting to read the clock's face. He quickly gave up and looked back towards Arthur and Francis, panic in his eyes. "Is there something wrong with me? Why can Al see it and I can't?"

Francis and Arthur exchanged concerned glances, then returned their attention to Matthew. "There's nothing wrong with you, Mattie."

"Right." Arthur agreed. "We just may have to set up an appointment with Dr. Vargas soon."

"A doctor? I thought you just said nothing was wrong with him."Alfred questioned.

"Yes, however Matthew may need glasses. We'll get you a check up too just in case, Alfred."

"Might as well set one up for Michelle also. Can't hurt, and then no one is special."

"Good thinking, Francis."


	3. Matching

"Papa, I'm booorrred." Matthew tried desperately to ignore his seven-year old sister's complaints. Recent events had lead to a family day at Doctor Vargas' office, an optometrist. Doctor Vargas was a nice, older gentleman with unruly auburn hair and a heavy Italian accent. However, Matthew's opinion on the man went south once he informed Matthew's parents that he needed glasses. Alfred and Michelle checked out fine, which didn't make any sense. Alfred spent at least twice as much time in front of the television as Matthew, so shouldn't his eyes be worse? It wasn't fair. But here he was, looking at the options for children's frames with his dad at his side.

"What about these, Mattie?" Arthur pulled a pair from the top rack and handed them down. Matthew put them on, then turned to the mirror. He cringed at his reflection, and promptly removed the offending plastic, almost throwing them at Arthur.

"No, thanks." Matthew mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the tissues Doctor Vargas provided.

"Are you okay, Snowflake?"

"My eyes hurt still." Matthew placed the tissues back in his pocket. "And everything is really bright."

"Ah. Yes, I'm sorry about that. The dilation should go away in an hour or so... How about these ones?" Arthur handed Matthew a new set. The frames were thick and rectangular shaped. From the front, they appeared to be jet black, but at any other angle you could see bright green stripes.

Matthew furrowed his brows before sighing and handing them back. "Alfred is the one that likes neon green."

"Oh... Sorry, Matthew."

"I heard my name!" Alfred called. Matthew and Arthur turned to find Alfred on the complete opposite side of the large room next to more frames. Matthew couldn't read the sign, but the picture suggested they were frames aimed towards women.

"Alfred Jones!" Arthur very sternly replied, "Either stay by Francis or by me! If I catch you away from us again, you'll be grounded." Alfred went wide-eyed and shuffled his way over to Arthur's side. "That's better. Thank you." Alfred mumbled a response, then perked up at the sight of the frames still in Arthur's hands.

"Those are cool looking! Can I see?" Arthur glanced down at the frames in question, then handed them over to Alfred. Matthew watched his twin enthusiastically try on the frames and look at himself in the mirror. "Mattie, you should totally get these ones!"

"That isn't a decision for you to make, Alfred." Arthur sighed, then continued scanning the children's frames. "Oh. But they do have them in red, Matthew." He picked the frames from their stand and handed them over to Matthew. These frames were identical to the green ones currently on his twin's face, except Arthur was right about them being red and black instead. Matthew turned to the mirror and placed the red frames onto the bridge of his nose. He didn't like them. He didn't like any of them. It wasn't fair. Why him? Alfred seemed perfectly fine wearing the other pair, and it would be easier for him to handle needing glasses. Matthew froze, then mentally hit himself for thinking and wishing that upon his brother.

"Dad? Why can't I get glasses?" Matthew snapped out of his thoughts and turned to his twin. Alfred was staring back at him with concern on his face.

"Because you can see things far away without them becoming fuzzy... Why do you ask?"

"If Mattie gets glasses, then we wont look alike anymore... and..." Alfred made a motion for Arthur to lean down. He whispered something in his ear, and Arthur raised his brows in surprise. Matthew gave his dad a curious glance when he stood back up. Arthur hummed as his gaze drifted between the twins.

"I want you two to stay right here. I'll be right back." The twins watched as Arthur walked over to Francis, who was sitting with Michelle on his lap by the front desk. The couple spoke briefly, then Arthur broke away and found an employee to talk to.

"What did you say to him, Al?" Matthew asked, worried.

"That you looked sad and scared." Matthew turned to Alfred, a bit confused. His brother still had the green frames on, which looked natural on him. "If one of us needs glasses, we should both have them. It's only fair." Alfred looked back in the mirror at their reflections. He grinned at Matthew as the mirror showed Arthur returning with Doctor Vargas' assistant.

"Good news, Alfred." Arthur almost sang. "How do you feel about those red ones, Matthew?"

"They'll work..." Matthew replied with a defeated sigh.

"We have them in other colors too." The assistant spoke up, a young woman with long curly brown hair. "What color is your favorite?"

"Eh.. Red, actually. I just don't want glasses..."

"Well, I think you both look handsome in them. And you want the green ones?" Matthew furrowed his brows in confusion as the assistant spoke to Alfred.

"Yep!" Alfred bounced in excitement.

"Alrighty then! If you could had those over to me, I'll get Mister Matthew's prescription sent in. They should be ready in a week." Alfred almost threw his frames into the assistant's hands. Matthew was a little more careful as he removed his from his face and gently handed them to her.

"I'm going to go pay for these. You two head over to Papa." Arthur followed after the assistant, leaving the twins to their own devices.

"What just happened?" Matthew faced Alfred, who was still bouncing.

"I'm getting glasses too!" Alfred almost squealed, but remembered to use his indoor voice at the last second. Matthew stared at Alfred in disbelief. Alfred saw his lack of excitement, and continued, "I thought it would make you feel better if you weren't alone, so I asked Dad if we could get the green ones too! Clever, huh?" Alfred grinned, then took Matthew's hand and lead him over to Francis before Matthew could come up with a reply.


End file.
